Letters to the Editor for Feb. 25, 2013

Published: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 22, 2013 at 9:44 p.m.

Business is not government and government is not business. The more one invades the other's domain, the more each becomes less like what they should be.

A case in point is the prison industrial complex. The private sector has no business in what is strictly a government function.

As a result of prison privatization, there are armies of lobbyists seeking longer sentences and harsher policies to increase their profits. It's all about heads in beds.

When there is a profit motive in keeping more of us incarcerated more frequently and for longer periods of time, society suffers. That taxpayers subsidize this dirty business is an outrage.

That is why it is disgraceful that Florida Atlantic University has a new $6 million agreement to name its football stadium after one of the leaders of the private prison industry. The GEO Group runs 59 prisons nationally and 16 in Florida.

Shame on FAU.

Bill Richards,

Gainesville

Positive impact

The gymnastics competition between the universities of Florida and Alabama was truly a wonderful experience for me. Ashanee Dickerson's floor exercise was one of the best I have ever seen. It was filled with power, grace and superb choreography.

But what made my experience so great was the exclamation from the lovely child sitting in front of me that “My name is Ashanee too. I'm named after her!” She was indeed proud of Dickerson as was I. However, her experience was so deeply felt that she could not contain her enthusiasm.

Coach Rhonda Faehn and the gymnastics team is having a very positive impact for the entire community.

Richard Sherer,

High Springs

Stringent policies

Gainesville Regional Transit System would like to apologize for the unfortunate incident that recently occurred with one of our bus operators.

We have stringent policies that address the return of found items on our buses and stops. During the course of a year, we return hundreds of items to our patrons and the public ranging from identification cards to laptop computers.

We would like to reassure our patrons and the public that we are addressing this situation and reinforcing our policies. We look forward to continuing to provide quality transportation alternatives to the greater Gainesville area.

Chip Skinner,

Marketing and Communications Supervisor

Regional Transit System

Inspirational program

Congratulations to the Alachua County School Board as it presented the middle school and high school honor bands for a wonderful performance on Jan. 29. The selection of musical pieces and the quality of the music was inspirational. The performance was extraordinary. As citizens of Alachua County, we are lucky that our school system is capable of producing such excellence. Hopefully in 2014, we will again be able to attend another exciting and inspirational program.

Larry Schwandes,

Gainesville

Writing on the wall

Please take a hard look at Sound Off that runs Mondays in The Sun. These Sound Off-ers are not making sound offers.

The column is full. How nice. But the stunning presence of yellow journalism and the absence of great muckrakers is troublesome. The printed page is in enough trouble without letting the writing on the wall (bathroom, that is) carry the day (even if it takes place on Mondays).

There must be a few of us who understand something about the history of journalism, some who are alive, awake and aware, or some who will start something just a bit more enlightening — out of kindness to the rest of us.

All we have to do is call it in. But, first, for the love of words, please edit!

N.M. Postlethwaite,

Gainesville

Act of kindness

My wife and I recently stopped for lunch at the Mexican restaurant in Waldo. A young couple and their three daughters who were also having lunch there finished and left the restaurant. When we went to pay our bill, we were told that the couple had already paid for our lunch and said to tell us, “Thank you for your service.”

I am a retired Navy chief. My wife and I were really touched by this unknown family's random act of kindness. From the bottom of our heart, we want to thank you. May God continue to bless you.

Jim and Betty Mercer,

Hawthorne

Taxpayers benefit

I read and then re-read the letter about birth control by Kal Rosenberg (Sun, Feb. 19) several times because I couldn't quite believe what he was saying. Women benefit and he pays for what is medically unnecessary? Men don't have anything to do with unwanted pregnancies? Taxpayers don't benefit when fewer people are on government assistance?

I have personally known several working women who have become pregnant because they couldn't afford birth control, stopped working, had the child and received Medicaid and food stamps. Don't you think it would have been cheaper to supply the birth control?

People are going to have sex whether or not birth control is available. But many of those women will use birth control if it's available free or at a lower cost. We need to provide birth control or spend millions more taking care of the children who come as a result of not providing birth control.

Celeste Rubanick,

Alachua

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